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National Signing Day 2016: Ranking and grading each SEC football recruiting class

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Feb 3, 2016; Gordo, AL, USA; Gordo High School linebacker Ben Davis fields questions after committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama during national signing day at Gordo High School. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 3, 2016; Gordo, AL, USA; Gordo High School linebacker Ben Davis fields questions after committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama during national signing day at Gordo High School. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 18, 2014; Oxford, MS, USA; General view as the Mississippi Rebels mascot Rebel takes the field in a Ole Miss car before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2014; Oxford, MS, USA; General view as the Mississippi Rebels mascot Rebel takes the field in a Ole Miss car before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports /

The Ole Miss Rebels have exceeded all expectations by landing the nation’s No. 5 recruiting class, which includes three five-star players – tied for the most in the country – including two of the top four in the 247Sports Composite.

Understandably, the 2016 Ole Miss recruiting class is drawing comparisons to the incredible 2013 crop that included future first round NFL Draft picks Laremy Tunsil, Robert Nkemdiche, and Laquon Treadwell, though this year’s group is arguably more valuable because it includes a five-star quarterback, Shea Patterson.

Instant Impact Performer: DT Benito Jones

It’s nearly impossible to replace a player as talented as Nkemdiche, whose impact at the line of scrimmage went far beyond the stat sheet. However, five-star Benito Jones, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound Waynesboro, Miss. native will have an opportunity to try.

As an early enrollee, Jones is already on campus and will take part in spring practice, giving him an opportunity to impress the coaching staff up-close-and-personal as the Rebels look to not only replace Nkemdiche but also starting nose tackle Woodrow Hamilton.

In addition to Jones, expect five-star tackle Gregory Little (ranked No. 1 among tackles and No. 3 overall by 247Sports) to work his way into the offensive line rotation this fall. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Texan has the talent to replace Tunsil, but may not have enough time to work into the starting lineup prior to the team’s season opener against Florida State.

Underrated Signees: OT Royce Newman, OG Chandler Tuitt

The Rebels landed the nation’s top offensive line prospect, but a couple of under-the-radar three-star offensive linemen could develop into big-time players over the next few seasons. Royce Newman, a 6-foot-7, 255-pound Illinois native was once committed to Missouri, but will join the Rebels instead. Evaluators are torn on Newman with him being ranked as high as No. 14 among tackles by Scout and as low as No. 55 by ESPN, but his upside is huge because of his athleticism and potential to fill out physically.

The cousin of former Notre Dame and current Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, Chandler Tuitt is an athletic 6-foot-3, 294-pound guard that is an explosive run blocker. Though he doesn’t have as much physical development potential as Newman, Tuitt already has great physical tools and still has room to grow.

Unanswered Question: Will the 2015 class help Ole Miss get over the hump?

The Rebels are the only original SEC West program that has yet to make an appearance in the SEC Championship Game, and Ole Miss hasn’t won an SEC title since 1963. A ton of talent has already walked out of the door in Oxford, but this year’s crop of talented newcomers joins a much more complete roster than Tunsil, Nkemdiche and Treadwell did as freshmen.

Complete 2016 Ole Miss Football Recruiting Class:

Final Thoughts: With ten players ranked among both 247Sports and ESPN’s top 300 high school prospects, as well as two of the top 20 JUCO players in the 2016 recruiting class, Ole Miss did an outstanding job of landing premium talent capable of filling many of the huge holes left by graduation and early departures to the NFL.

It’s unreasonable to expect there to be no drop-off in production in 2016, but the Rebels certainly did well to replace the talent they lost.

Next: LSU

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